1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to screen door mechanisms generally and, more particularly, to sliding screen door mechanisms.
2. Background Art
The concept of employing various types of screen door mechanisms has been known for a substantial period of time. Such mechanisms are particularly advantageous in warm climates or otherwise during warm summers when it is advantageous to provide air ventilation between the exterior and interior of various types of structures, including commercial, industrial and residential.
Various types of screen doors have been utilized through recent history. For example, some types of screen doors utilize removable screens, and are configured so as to removably insert glass partitions or partitions made of other types of materials. This capability facilitates the adding of additional insulative structures (i.e., the “storm door” now transformed from the screen door) when the climate within which the screen door is being utilized becomes cooler. In addition to the capability of removing screens and inserting glass or similar types of partitions, some screen doors also provide “on-site” storage of the screens and the glass partitions simultaneously on the door itself. In this manner, when the user wishes to change from a screen door “feature” to a storm door “feature,” the user merely needs to reposition the glass partition (and possibly the screen partition) within the door itself. Correspondingly, these various types of screen doors have been utilized with various types of structures for positioning, aligning and supporting the screen doors in proper positions. Many of the support structures are configured so as to be utilized with hinged screen doors, whereby the door is opened or closed through the exertion of external forces on the door sufficient so as to cause the door to rotate about the axis of its hinges. Such doors may also include other features, such as equipment for providing for automatic door closure and the like.
In addition to conventional types of screen doors which rotate about their hinges, other types of screen doors are commonly known as “sliding” screen doors. Sliding screen doors are well known and are often used when space around the screen door does not lend itself to situations where the screen door must be rotated outside of its conventional plane (e.g., the plane of the door surface when the door is closed) for purposes of being opened. Also, sliding screen doors are much more advantageous when the screen partitions are of a relatively large surface area. For example, in residential structures, doors to outside patios are often relatively large. Using rotating screen doors may be substantially impractical in these types of situations. Accordingly, “sliding” screen doors are often utilized, whereby the screen partition surface remains in a single plane when the door is opened and closed. Again, such sliding screen doors are relatively well known in the industry.
For sliding screen doors, the supporting structures for supporting the screen door while correspondingly permitting a sliding movement for the door are also relatively well known. Many times, door structures such as those associated with supporting and positioning patio doors include structures for also supporting and positioning screen doors, and the sliding movement thereof. However, in many instances after a residence or industrial structure has been built, it may be found that it would be advantageous to utilize sliding screen doors adjacent regular doors where mechanisms for supporting the screen doors were not initially installed within the residence or industrial establishment. In particular, it has been found that doorways between interiors of houses and attached garages often do not include any type of mechanism to facilitate usage of a screen door. However, when screen door support mechanisms have not been initially incorporated within residential or industrial structures, it has been difficult to add such support mechanisms to the existing doorway structures. Known systems may require removal or modification of pieces of existing doorways or other activities which may be complex, laborious and/or expensive. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide for a sliding screen door support mechanism which is relatively easy to install, relatively inexpensive, and adaptable to situations involving both new installation and what may be called “retrofitting” of sliding screen doors to existing structures.